LEED Platinum Georgia RainShine House

THE RAINSHINE HOUSE, DESIGNED BY Robert M. Cain, Architect, AIA, LEED AP and built by Pinnacle Custom Builders — has received LEED Platinum certification. According to a recent press release, it’s the first modernist residence in the Southeastern U.S. to achieve such a lofty green certification. The Decatur, Georgia home was featured in the Modern Atlanta Home Tour last May 16-17. Here are some of the green products and elements of the home:

500-gallon rainwater harvest cisterns;

Butterfly roof designed to collect rainwater;

Locally-sourced, 100% recycled steel framing roof;

Water-based insulation materials;

Reclaimed heart-pine flooring;

Energy recovery ventilator (for tight homes);

Low solar heat gain coefficient windows;

Abundant interior natural light;

LED lighting system;

Geothermal heat pump;

3.1 kW rooftop, photovoltaic system; and

Deciduous plantings to provide efficiency benefits.

The owners moved in and professional interior photos are coming soon; both interior photos in this article show the home prior to completion.

The RainShine House is expected to consume only 43% of the energy normally consumed by a similar home built to standard code. It’s also nearly 100% non-toxic — practically everything is no- or low-VOC and formaldehyde free. But probably more important is how the design provides a connection to the outside world. After moving in, the owners sat in the front room looking through their floor-to-two-story ceiling windows: “We sat there for four hours, just watching the moon pass by. It was wonderful.”